After some time away, he has returned to continue his passion, but the road ahead is now much more challenging and difficult. Competition from younger players and changes in the professional streaming environment have made it increasingly hard to succeed.
Starting from scratch, a once-famous YouTuber in the Minecraft community known for his destructive skills now has only a handful of viewers. But even with just a few dozen viewers, he remains undeterred. However, Tuấn Khó Đỡ has overcome all obstacles to come back stronger than ever. Join us as we chat with this incredibly unique personality.
Why did Tuấn Khó Đỡ rise to fame from Minecraft? Can you share a bit with the readers?
In the early days when YouTube was booming with gaming videos, Minecraft was the game that defined the trend for channel growth and streamer identity in Vietnam. Back then, many YouTubers were building houses, creating maps, and taking on beautiful challenges. Building was hard, but destroying was easy; it was as simple as that. A famous entertainment series at that time was the map destruction series, which helped Tuấn make a good impression on fans.
Back then, I was considered the villain, as kids thought I was destroying the achievements of other YouTubers. But in reality, Minecraft has a save file mechanism that allows you to copy and store files. Whenever I needed to destroy a map and shoot a clip, I just loaded the file.
After destroying, I saved it as a backup. A series of “hate clips” from elementary and middle school kids were constantly uploaded during that time to attack and call for a boycott against Tuấn Khó Đỡ, even threatening to find me at home for a beating. Looking back, it was amusing to troll others like that.
Where did the unusual name Tuấn Khó Đỡ come from?
This name has been around for a long time, back when meme fan pages were trending in Vietnam. I had a page called “The Society of Those Who Can’t Handle the Unbearable,” and then my friends started calling me “Khó Đỡ” (Unbearable), even adding it to my name for flair. That’s how the name Tuấn Khó Đỡ was born.
Additionally, during that time, I often had some quirky hairstyles, wore just one type of shirt, and streamed in a sleeveless shirt. Occasionally, I would troll this person and that, creating humor until they were laughing hard.
What are Tuấn’s plans to pursue his passion moving forward?
I am still pursuing the “unbearable” style, focusing mainly on horror games and role-playing games. It makes me feel immersed in the game; sometimes, playing these genres can be terrifying, but the more I play, the more I get drawn into the game.
Back in my streaming days, I did two shifts, each lasting three hours, and after each shift, I would edit and cut clips! Some days, my passion made me work harder than a standard eight-hour office job, and I never felt tired. Because I was so engrossed in what I was doing, I kept pushing myself until one day I developed a herniated disc without even realizing it, and when the pain hit, it was severe; that was the real challenge. But I still pushed through to continue my pursuit, and while the road is tough, it’s also very enjoyable.
Besides streaming horror games on my Fanpage, I plan to also play some mobile games. Because mobile gaming is the new trend. Upcoming popular games include Arena of Valor, Free Fire… and soon, League of Legends: Wild Rift.
I have a saying that I hold dear and is my guiding principle for personal development: “Passion that doesn’t make money is a passion… to be discarded.” If you truly have a passion, not just for streaming but for any passion, find a way to turn that passion into profit, as it is how we express our relentless pursuit of our passion. When you do what you are passionate about, you won’t feel like you’re working a day in your life.
Is Tuấn’s herniated disc condition severe? How did it come to be?
Sharing about this streaming career, there was a time when my back became severely ill, and I had to be hospitalized for over a week. When my back hurt intensely, I thought it was due to sitting too much, but I never expected the doctor to tell me it was a “herniated disc”; at that moment, it felt like a bolt of lightning struck me.
Hundreds of questions raced through my mind: Would I still be able to stream? Would streaming render me bedridden? Was it because I was sitting 12-13 hours a day? Would I still have a future in this passion? I felt utterly lost.
The main reason was my previous streaming and YouTube activities. After streaming two shifts of 3-4 hours each, I had already spent 8 hours. On top of that, I had to create clips, then edit and upload them for my fans to watch.
Sitting for more than 10 hours a day was common. The lack of movement led to symptoms of a herniated disc, but I ignored them, thinking it was just mild pain due to my youth. Gradually, the frequency of pain increased, and I experienced it every few weeks, yet I remained complacent. Until one day, the pain became so severe that I couldn’t sit anymore, and by then, it was too late. Even coughing, laughing, or lying down hurt.
However, now that my condition has improved, I continue on the path I have chosen but with a longer-term approach in mind. Previously, I would stream two shifts a day, but now I stream one shift in the evening, spending the daytime resting my back and taking medication. Anyone who has experienced a herniated disc understands the pain of sitting, eating, and even moving. The worst part is when you cough or laugh; it’s excruciating from your feet to your head. This condition is indeed a nightmare for streamers.
How did you manage to support your family and yourself during this time?
At that time, I had saved up some money for my treatment, but the funds quickly ran out because back treatments are expensive and only improve very slowly. There were times when I could barely afford meals, let alone think about anything else.
During that time, some old fans came back to encourage me, donating small amounts of money that covered my daily meals. At that moment, I felt immense spiritual strength, forgetting the pain, and continued streaming for a month until I could sit again and resumed my passion.
So the phrase “passion that doesn’t make money is a passion to be discarded” is yours? Why?
Actually, I prefer to say: “Passion that doesn’t make money is a passion to be discarded… unless that person is wealthy.” This beloved saying has garnered much support and agreement. I believe that when I work like that, I don’t feel like I am working a single day in my life!
I heard that you used to mimic Stephen Chow’s voice to stream and received a lot of support, right?
That’s right! I used to imitate the voice of Vân Sơn voicing Stephen Chow for clips and streams, which received a lot of support. My follower count increased rapidly during that time, around 2015 to 2016.
When I was younger, my friends and I in the neighborhood would watch the old comedy shows, which made me fall in love with Stephen Chow’s films. I watched them every day until I naturally began to imitate his voice. At that time, everyone in the neighborhood would mimic voice-overs to communicate, making it a part of our daily interactions.
Speaking of Tuấn, we must mention GTA too, right?
Absolutely, this game paved the way for me into Facebook Gaming, and to this day, I have nearly 200,000 followers. Back then, the GTA V Roleplay trend was booming, with everyone participating. However, my trend tends to go against the grain; I don’t follow what the majority does, and luckily, I’ve received a lot of support from viewers.
Do you have any messages for viewers before we conclude this interview?
Currently, I have a small streaming room that also serves as a mini studio to both stream and support those who are passionate about editing, photo retouching, and streaming, so later on, we can support each other. I just want the next generation of streamers to do better, not to gain views through silly and cheap tactics. As long as you have enough determination to pursue your passion, I am confident that you will succeed!
Looking to the future, I hope to continue my passion and help at least 2-3 others who have enough willpower and determination to further develop in this field. Simply because I was once a model of perseverance, starting from zero and beginning again from scratch. Helping others save time and avoid the mistakes I encountered to get ahead faster, because in this passion-driven industry, no one teaches, and no one guides!